UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The renewal of the Penn State-Virginia series is set for a noon kick on Sept. 8 in Charlottesville, the Nittany Lions’ fourth announced start time for the 2012 season. ABC will televise the contest from Scott Stadium.
The Cavaliers are among the 10 bowl teams from the 2011 season that Coach Bill O’Brien’s Nittany Lions will play this fall.
The Nittany Lions lead the series with the Cavaliers, 5-2, winning the last meeting, 35-14 in Beaver Stadium in 2002. Virginia won the last clash in Charlottesville, 20-14, in 2001. The teams first met in 1893, but did not play again until 1954 and ’55. Both teams earned road victories when the series resumed in 1988 and ’89. Virginia will return to Beaver Stadium on Sept. 14, 2013.
Led by Coach Mike London, Virginia was 8-5 last season, including Atlantic Coast Conference victories at Florida State and Miami (Fla.). The Cavaliers lost to Auburn in the 2011 Chick-Fil-A Bowl.
Penn State is 88-21-2 (80.2) all-time against current members of the Atlantic Coast Conference, having played every ACC institution with the exception of Duke and Virginia Tech.
The kick times and TV for the Nittany Lions’ Oct. 6 Homecoming game vs. Northwestern (12 p.m., TV TBD), Oct. 20 contest at Iowa (7 p.m. CT, BTN) and Oct. 27 home clash with Ohio State (6 p.m., ESPN/2) had previously been announced. The kick times for Penn State’s first two home games – Sept. 1 vs. Ohio and Sept. 15 vs. Navy — should be announced by June 15.
During the 2010-11 seasons, Penn State renewed its rivalry with Alabama. Following the 2012-13 games with Virginia, the Nittany Lions will meet two more old rivals, Rutgers, in 2014-15, and Pitt, in 2016-17. Penn State and long-time rival Syracuse played in 2008-09 and will meet again on August 31, 2013 in the season opener at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
Penn State’s regular season non-conference opponents during the past 12 years include: Pittsburgh (2000), Southern California (2000), Miami, Fla. (2001), Southern Miss (2001), Virginia (2001-02), Nebraska (2002-03), UCF (2002 and ’04), Boston College (2003-04), South Florida (2005), Cincinnati (2005), Notre Dame (2006-07), Oregon State (2008), Syracuse (2008-09) and Alabama (2010-11).
Penn State returns 36 letterwinners and 10 starters for the upcoming season (5 offense, 4 defense, 1 specialist), as well as 17 players that have starting experience. The 17 additional players with starting experience have a combined total of 78 starts (44 defense/34 offense) among them.
Season tickets are available for the 2012 season, with the Nittany Lions hosting five teams that played in a bowl game last year. Penn State will host Ohio State (Oct. 27, 6 p.m.), Wisconsin (Nov. 24-Senior Day), Northwestern (Oct. 6-Homecoming), Indiana (Nov. 17), Navy (Sept. 15), Temple (Sept. 22) and Ohio (Sept. 1) in Beaver Stadium this fall.
For information on joining the Nittany Lion Club and purchasing season tickets, as well as club seating in Beaver Stadium, fans can go to go www.GoPSUsports.com/tickets, call 1-800-648-8269 (1-800-NITTANY) weekdays from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. or visit the Bryce Jordan Ticket Center.